Extended Edition of Lewisohn Beatles Bio ‘Tune In’ Out in U.S. Nov. 7

The complete, uncut and unabridged Extended Special Edition of “The Beatles: All These Years, Vol. 1 – Tune In” by noted Fab Four historian Mark Lewisohn will at long last be available in the United States and Canada on November 7.

“I’m delighted that the fullest version of ‘Tune In’ – the everything-I-wrote edition – is finally being made fully available in North America,” Lewisohn said of the “author’s cut” in a note from his home office outside London.

The new Extended Special Edition release of the book is identical to the original ESE – two bound volumes packaged a specially designed slipcase.

“It’s not technically a U.S. publication, just a U.S. availability,” he said. “British copies are being distributed nationally throughout the U.S. via Hachette Distribution.”

The U.S. abridged edition, the Extended Special Edition, and an uncorrected proof of the abridged edition of ‘Tune In’ by Mark Lewisohn.

Little, Brown published Lewisohn’s 1,728-page, 750,000-plus-word ESE in his native Great Britain in October 2013, but not in the U.S., where only his abridged version numbering 944 pages and about 400,000 words was published simultaneously by Three Rivers Press, part of Random House’s Crown Publishing Group.

The abridged edition went on to be a New York Times best-seller in the States, with both editions continuing to receive massive praise from Beatles fans worldwide to this day.

Little, Brown’s first U.K. ESE printing in 2013 was a limited edition because the publisher was unsure if such a large, expensive volume would sell. In fact, the initial printing sold out quickly, but that still did not meet the demand. Three subsequent limited-edition runs have also sold out.

Lewisohn confirmed the 2017 Hatchette release is the publisher’s fifth printing of the ESE, now available in North America from online retailers such as Amazon (initially for $200, but the price dropped to $135.36 later on release day) and from The Fest For Beatles Fans (for $195, the latter with author-signed bookplates). A Kindle version is not available in the U.S. at this time.

“The Extended Special Edition has been in print in Britain since 2013, and I was never happy it could only be obtained in the U.S. and Canada by buying a British copy and having it shipped over,” Lewisohn said. “This edition isn’t cheap because it’s run in small quantities and is expensive to produce, but still, it will make the perfect gift for a loved one – including yourself!”

The Beatles in Liverpool, Sept. 28, 1962: one of more than 100 photos in the ‘Tune In’ Extended Special Edition.

Lewisohn is now four-plus years deep into researching and writing the second volume of his three-part Beatles bio. “Vol. 1 – Tune In,” which took him a decade to complete, details John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr’s family history and childhoods, all the band’s pre-history, and their rise to fame through the end of 1962, just as Beatlemania was breaking out in Britain.

“I’m happy with ‘Tune In’ – it’s the book I knew needed to be researched and written, and The Beatles’ early history can easily take 1728 pages,” Lewisohn said. “Don’t be put off by that size: if it daunts you, just take it one easy chapter at a time.”

“The Beatles: All These Years, Vol. 2” is still a few years from completion and publication. It will pick up the Fab Four saga on Jan. 1, 1963, just before the sessions for the band’s debut album, “Please Please Me,” and take their story into 1966 or 1967. Eventually, Vol. 3 will cover the years from then through The Beatles’ official split in spring 1970.

“Reading the full ‘Tune In’ will help bridge the gap until the arrival of Vol. 2 in this trilogy,” Lewisohn said. “That’s the one I’m working on – every minute of every day – right now.”

In early 2016, this writer was among those who bought a British copy of the ESE and had it shipped to home to the States. On April 27, 2016, when Lewisohn was in Los Angeles on a research mission, we met at a top-secret tape vault in North Hollywood and talked about “The Beatles: All These Years, Vol. 1 – Tune In” for more than an hour. Enjoy the clips below.

Santa Clarita journalistStephen K. Peeples was the original, award-winning producer of “The Lost Lennon Tapes” radio series for the Westwood One Radio Network from 1988-1990. Mark Lewisohn was Peeples’ invaluable Research Consultant. Peeples, aGrammy-nominated record producer (“Monterey International Pop Festival,” MIPF/Rhino, 1992), is a veteran record industry media relations executive (Capitol Records, Elektra/Asylum Records, Westwood One, Rhino Entertainment, 1977-1998) and website content manager (Rhino, 1996-1998; Warner New Media, 1998-2001). Opting to work closer to home, he was music and entertainment features writer and columnist for the Santa Clarita Valley Signal (2004-2011), and soon became the newspaper’s award-winning online editor (2007-2011). Going independent, Peeples then wrote features for Santa Clarita’s KHTS-AM 1220 News (www.hometownstation.com) and SCVNews.com (2011-2016). He hosted, wrote and co-produced the WAVE-nominated“House Blend” music and interview television show on SCVTV, community television for the Santa Clarita Valley (2010-2015). He also served as Vice President/New Media & Editorial with Los Angeles-based multimedia pop culture company Rare Cool Stuff Unltd. (2010-2015). Now CEO of Pet Me Happy Treats, Peeples still occasionally posts exclusive music news, reviews and interviews on his website and on his YouTube channel. For more information, email skp (at) stephenkpeeples.com.